Tag: "Andrea Darlas"

WECK, Buffalo Announces Live and Local Lineup. The new Buffalo full-service radio station operated by Buddy Shula’s Radio One Buffalo announces its new, live and local personality lineup. Previously, TALKERS magazine reported the station hired Buffalo news radio pro John Zach to anchor mornings and serve as news director. Now, WECK says it will officially shift its format to become a live and local, full-service station on July 10, with 24-hour news, well-known local personalities and locally programmed music. The station has been airing a syndicated adult standards format. Soon it will move to “adult favorites,” centered primary on the 70s and 80s (with some earlier and some more recent music mixed in). Veteran Buffalo personality Gail Ann Huber will pair with WECK’s Tom Donahue as morning co-host. Jon Summers, a longtime Buffalo radio and TV personality joins the station to host 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Buffalo Broadcasting Hall-of-Famer Harv Moore will host the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm daypart Moore handled wake-up duties for many years as part of the well-known “Taylor & Moore Breakfast Flakes” show on WYSL and WPHD. Moore’s former on-air partner, Robert W. Taylor, joins as WECK’s imaging voice. Afternoon drive will be hosted by Mike Jacobs. Evenings will be hosted by WECK owner and president Buddy Shula.

WGN named Chicago’s Station of the Year. This actually marks the tenth year in a row that Tribune Media news/talk WGN, Chicago has nabbed such Illinois Broadcasters Association Silver Dome honors. This year’s event was held last night (6/8) in Champaign. In addition, Tribune Media president of broadcasting Larry Wert was cited as IBA’s “Broadcaster of the Year.” The station took away first place awards in “Best Radio Local Broadcast Team” (“The Nick Digilio Show”); “Best Radio Station Use of New Media” (“Honoring Our Marines” by Shanae Paulus and Jackie Paulus); “Best Radio News Reporter” (Andrea Darlas); “Best Radio Series or Documentary” (“National Parks at 100: Our Midwest Treasures” by Dave Schwan); and “Best Radio Play-by-Play” (Blackhawks force game seven versus [St. Louis] Blues (John Wiedeman and Troy Murray). WGN Radio vice president of programming & content Todd Manley states, “We are so proud to share Chicago stories every day with personalities who are authentic and passionate. I know our entire staff is grateful for these honors.” Out-of-state broadcasters did the judging for the Illinois competition.

Pandora – SiriusXM Update. As a follow-up to what we reported yesterday (TALKERS, 6/8), on the heels of Pandora Media extending the countdown of a possible sale, SiriusXM marches in with a $480 million strategic cash investment in Pandora. The infusion will help Pandora make targeted investments and capitalize on opportunities to build on its business. Last month, the private equity firm KKR & Co LP agreed to invest $150 million in Pandora, which reportedly lost $132 million on revenues of $315 million in the quarter that ended on March 31.

WBUR Readies “Circle Round.” Produced by Boston University-owned WBUR, Boston in conjunction with Sheir & Shim founders Rebecca Sheir and Eric Shimelonis, “Circle Round” is a storytelling podcast for youngsters aged three to ten. “Circle Round” features folktales with an eye toward inclusivity. Stories are adapted into five- to 20-minute episodes that deal with topics such as kindness, persistence, and generosity. WBUR general manager Charlie Kravetz comments, “We are excited to be launching WBUR’s first-ever child-focused program. Public radio has a rich and recognized tradition of narrative storytelling. With ‘Circle Round,’ we want to inspire a young audience to cultivate a love of storytelling.” The station’s managing producer for program development Jessica Alpert remarks, “Like so many parents, I am always trying to find alternatives to screen time. As we know, nothing grabs a child’s attention like a really great story – especially one you can listen to anywhere, anytime, like in a podcast. We are hoping that ‘Circle Round’ fills a void for parents, while at the same time provides a thrilling experience for their kids.” Sheir will serve as the podcast’s narrator, while award-winning composer Shimelonis will create the accompanying soundtrack and production. The podcast series begins this fall with weekly episodes.

Phoenix Trombo Taps Trimmer as PD. Former WRVA “Newsradio 1140,” Richmond; WRNL “Fox Sports 910,” Richmond; and Virginia News Network program director Aaron Trimmer will transfer in a similar capacity to iHeartMedia Phoenix siblings KFYI “The Most Trusted News in Phoenix”; KGME “Fox Sports 910”; and KFYI 2, “The Next Generation of Talk Radio.” Executive vice president of programming for iHeartMedia’s west division Steve Geofferies comments, “We are excited to have Aaron bring his experiences out west; his track record speaks for itself. From brand execution to talent coaching, he is a tremendous resource for our stations in the Arizona region.” Trimmer – who begins his new duties in a little over three weeks (7/5) – notes, “I am beyond excited to work with the iHeartMedia team in Phoenix. There is a tremendous amount of talent with their spoken-word brands. I look forward to leading the team and community to new heights.” His previous programming credits include four other iHeartMedia clusters: WHAM “NewsRadio 1180,” Rochester; FM news/talk WERC, Birmingham and the Alabama Radio Network; news/talk WSYR, Syracuse; and WLAP “NewsRadio 630,” Lexington, Kentucky.

College Radio Providing Vital Farm System for Professional Talk Media Talent. At a time when many industry participants and observers ask the question, “Where will the future talent in radio come from now that consolidation has wiped out the old farm system?” – it is becoming evident that to a significant degree the answer lies on the college radio level. According to TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison, “We are hearing more and more from outstanding college radio and media communications departments – students and faculty alike – around the country. These communication departments are really stepping up to the plate in becoming an effective breeding ground for new, dedicated and extremely bright talent – especially in the areas of journalism, commentary, talk and sports. I am personally gratified by the number of superb young people gaining the skills and developing the styles that will clearly propel talent-driven radio and TV deeper into the 21st century.” Each year the TALKERS annual seminar is attended by an increasing number of college radio students interested in making broadcasting their careers as well as a growing percentage of already-professional practitioners under the age of 35. Talkers 2017: A New Era was attended by delegations of student broadcasters from Hofstra University on Long Island and Hillsdale College in Michigan, among others. According to Harrison, who sits on the executive committee of the advisory board of Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, “The future of radio lies in developing young audiences – but before we can even think about doing that effectively, we must develop young broadcasters.” Pictured (below) are the students attending the TALKERS conference from Hofstra University’s Marconi Award winning WRHU-FM (front row l-r): Jazmine Gonzalez, Joy Jones, and Yenny Sanchez; (back row l-r) operations manager John Mullen, Alexi Cohan, TALKERS “Student of the Year” Maria Santana, Sean Bates, Juliana Spano, and Joe Sibilia.

Stand By for Exciting Video Coverage of Talkers 2017: A New Era. As the magic of Talkers 2017: A New Era recedes into the broadcast industry history books, the TALKERS editorial and technical staffs are busily readying the hours and hours of valuable video footage recorded at the event by rising young New York videography star Zach Feldman into a presentable form for posting here on Talkers.com and for posterity. TALKERS subscribers can expect the first of these to be posted sometime next week. Stand by! Meantime, scroll down this page for earlier photo and story coverage of the event.

Syndicated star Doug Stephan (l) interviews KTRS, St Louis personality McGraw Milhaven (r) on the American Family Farmer program at Talkers 2017: A New Era about the local relationship between St. Louis and mega-corporation Monsanto Company that is headquartered in that market. Both broadcasters are members of the TALKERS Heavy Hundred. Photo by Matthew B. Harrison.

WOR, New York, assistant program director Scott Lakefield facilitating one of the major “one-on-one” sessions at Talkers 2017: A New Era. Photo by Don Hurley.

Beasley Broadcast Group Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend. The amount is $0.045 per share for Beasley Broadcast Group’s Class A and Class B common stock and is payable next month (7/7) to shareholders of record on the final day of this month (6/30). All subsequent Beasley Broadcast Group dividends will be reviewed quarterly and declared by the board of directors at its discretion. Meanwhile, at the annual New Jersey Ad Club “Jersey Awards,” Beasley Broadcast Group news/talk WCTC, New Brunswick won “Best Podcast” for The State Theatre(program & creative director/air talentBert Baron, host and producer). Senior vice president and regional market manager Dan Finn remarks, “We are absolutely thrilled our team was recognized for their work with this incredible award. This is the night where all the best advertising agencies in the state of New Jersey gather and announce winners across all media platforms. We were honored to be among the winners.” The event took place this past Wednesday (6/7) in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

TALKERS News Notes. As he did two weeks ago, Lou Pate will sit-in today (6/9) for Michael Savage on Westwood One’s “The Savage Nation” …..Nine-year iHeartMedia vice president of digital operations Joseph Bond departs. Bond previously spent six years overseeing web content and development for the company’s eight Cincinnati stations.

Grangenois Joins WEAA As Interim GM. The former publisher of The Chronicle of Higher Education,Mireille Grangenois, is named interim general manager of Morgan State University‘s NPR-member public outlet WEAA. The Baltimore-based institution’s dean of the school of global journalism and communication DeWayne Wickham remarks, “Ms. Grangenois has an impressive record of media management. Our intention is to revitalize WEAA’s mission as a learning lab by providing our students with an exceptional, practical experience in the production of news and public affairs programming. We also want to do this by strengthening the station’s ability to offer listeners music programming that will grow WEAA’s audience and revenue. I have great confidence in Ms. Grangenois’ ability to lead this effort.” Grangenois began her news career in Baltimore and has marketing, sales, audience development, and leadership experience. Morgan State University is one of only five historically black higher education institutions with a school of journalism.

Comey Testimony Top News/Talk Story for Week of June 5-9. The Senate Intelligence Committee testimony of former FBI Director James Comey was the most-talked-about story on news/talk radio during the week, landing atop the Talkers TenTM. At #2 was the Trump-Russia investigation. Coming in at #3 was the Tehran terror attack and the rejection of President Trump’s condolences, followed by the British general elections and the aftermath of the London terror attacks at #4. The Talkers TenTM is a weekly chart of the top stories and people discussed on news/talk radio during the week and is the result of ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. It is published every Friday at Talkers.com. View this week’s entire chart here.

Radio Disney Country Los Angeles Debuts Today. KRDC, Los Angeles will officially begin broadcasting at 12:00 noon today (6/9) on 99.1 and 1110. Disney Channels Worldwide vice president of music strategy/Radio DisneyNetwork general manager Phil Guerini states, “As country music continues to deliver some of the biggest artists in music today, we are broadening the reach of Radio Disney Country through both terrestrial and digital extensions of its brand.” In association with KRDC’s debut, Kelsea Ballerini, Hunter Hayes, Bailey Bryan, Scotty McCreery, Tegan Marie, and Temecula Road will join Radio Disney Country host Betsy Spina on the Radio Disney Country Stage at CMA Music Fest‘s Xfinity Fan Fair X at 11:45 am today for a countdown event streaming live on Radio Disney Country’s Facebook page. The first hour commercial-free playlist on Radio Disney Country’s KRDC will begin with Ballerini’s single “Legends,” which was released this week. The complete first hour will include: “Legends” (Ballerini); “Play It Again” (Luke Bryan); “God, Your Mama, and Me” (FloridaGeorgia Line featuring The Backstreet Boys); “Every Little Thing” (Carly Pearce); “Say” (RaeLynn featuring Dan + Shay); “Yours If You Want It” (Rascal Flatts); “Own It” (Bailey Bryan); “What Ifs” (Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina); “You Look Good” (Lady Antebellum); “No Such Thing As a Broken Heart” (Old Dominion); “Hoping” (Temecula Road); “I Could Use a Love Song” (Maren Morris); and “How Not To” (Dan + Shay). Radio Disney Country will also be available on iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and as curated playlists within Spotify, and Apple Music.

Brown Appointed iHeartMedia Norfolk Market President. Inbound from CumulusMedia Mobile, where she was vice president/market manager and vice president of sales, Angel Brown is named market president for iHeartMedia Norfolk. President of iHeartMedia’s Virginia/Carolina Region Dave Carwile comments, “We are thrilled to have Angel joining our Norfolk group of station brands. She combines a proven track record of sales leadership with an understanding of how to integrate client needs with our multimedia platforms. Angel will provide a great complement to our outstanding sales and programming leadership in the market.” Brown remarks, “I am elated to join the iHeartMedia family in Norfolk. The market and the company have had tremendous success over the years and are attributed to the company’s culture and its people. I look forward to working alongside the talented iHeartMedia Norfolk team and I look for forward to my future with the industry leader.” The company’s four-station Norfolk cluster consists of urban AC WHBT “92.1 The Beat”; rhythmic hot AC WMOV “MOViN 107.7”; CHR WNOH “NOW 105”; and urban contemporary WOWI “103 Jamz.”

KFRG Boosts Ward to APD/MD. With two-dozen years of service at CBS Radio Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario country outlet KFRG ‘K-Frog,” on-air talent Robin Ward is elevated to assistant program director and music director. According to program director Scott Ward (no relation), “Since she has been here for most of the station’s history, Robin is such a natural fit for this position. She knows the format and the artists like the back of her hand.” Robin Ward, who hosts mid-days using the on-air persona Heather Froglear, comments, “My patience has been rewarded with my dream job – being the APD/MD of the greatest station on earth.” She joined “K-Frog” in 1993 and has previously been the Inland Empire outlet’s promotions director and morning show host.

Music Radio News and Career Moves. Taking home the 2017 Gracie Award as “Best Co-Host, Radio” is Kelly Ford, co-host of Cumulus Media and Westwood One‘s syndicated morning show, Ty, Kelly, & Chuck. Ford was among the honorees at a Wednesday night gala at Los Angeles’ Beverly Wilshire …..Having already worked at CBS Radio-owned CHRs in Chicago (WBBM-FM “B-96”) and Philadelphia (WZMP “Amp 96.5”), Jason Cage will debut on the company’s Houston hot AC KHMX “Mix 96.5” next Monday (6/12) in afternoon drive. “Mix 96.5” program director Chase Murphy has “been a fan of Jason’s work for years – winning is in his DNA. We are excited to add him to the KHMX team and cannot wait for the Houston community to meet him.” …..Nine-year iHeartMedia vice president of digital operations Joseph Bond departs. Bond previously spent six years overseeing web content and development for the company’s eight Cincinnati stations …..Several-dozen suits were collected as part of the recently concluded “Boots to Suits” campaign of Hubbard St. Louis adult hits WARH “106.5 The Arch.” In partnership with Equity Prime Mortgage, JCPenney, and Two Men & A Truck, the station’s campaign focused on collecting suits for local veterans entering the workforce after they return home from deployment …..Changes at Saga Springfield, Massachusetts alternative WLZX “Lazer 99.3 & 105.1” find morning host Leslie exiting at the end of this month to relocate to Sarasota and afternoon drive talent Pat Kelly segueing to mornings next month …..Along with partners United Supermarkets and Amarillo National Bank, Alpha Media Amarillo, Texas’ KGNC “Country 97.9” earlier this week raised more than $60,000 for the Amarillo Area Rotary Youth Baseball League. Alpha Media Amarillo market manager Robert Mueller notes, “It is truly awesome to see the community and our partners work together to support the local youth each and every year.”

Beasley Broadcast Group Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend. The amount is $0.045 per share for Beasley Broadcast Group’s Class A and Class B common stock and is payable next month (7/7) to shareholders of record on the final day of this month (6/30). All subsequent Beasley Broadcast Group dividends will be reviewed quarterly and declared by the board of directors at its discretion. Meanwhile, at the annual New Jersey Ad Club “Jersey Awards,” Beasley Broadcast Group’s WDHA “The Rock of New Jersey, ” Dover won “Best Radio Spot” for Oink and Moo BBQ (written, produced, and voiced by Mike Cocheo with additional voice-overs by Dannie Schade). Vice president and regional market manager Dan Finn remarks, “We are absolutely thrilled our team was recognized for their work with this incredible award. “This is the night where all the best advertising agencies in the state of New Jersey gather and announce winners across all media platforms. We were honored to be among the winners.” The event took place this past Wednesday (6/7) in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

Eagle Communications Hutchinson Boosts James to Operations Manager. Three-month KHUT, Hutchinson, Kansas morning host Pat James is elevated to operations manager of Eagle Communications’ “Country 102.9,” as well as co-owned hot AC KHMY “My 93.1,” and news/talk combo KWBW-AM & KWBW-FM. Eagle Hutchinson market manager Mark Trotman states, “Since his first day at Eagle Communications, Pat has demonstrated the leadership we want in an employee-owned company – he is our type of people. We are looking forward to the places we can go in further service to keeping our community connected.” James, who will continue his morning drive duties on “Country 102.9,” adds, “I look forward to working with a talented staff that is committed to making great local radio every day for our community. This is a refreshing and exciting environment to work in every day. I can’t wait to help these stations and our company achieve even greater successes. I am grateful to market manager Mark Trotman and Eagle president/chief executive officer Gary Shorman for this amazing opportunity.” In addition to co-hosting “The Cornbread Morning Show” on WIL, St. Louis, James previously was program director/brand manager of Connoisseur Media Wichita’s adult hits KIBB “Bob-FM” and classic country KVWF “Hank-FM,” and he was the assistant program director/music director at Scripps-owned country KFDI, Wichita.

Trace Enters U.S. With Streaming Service. International urban media company Trace will launch a streaming service called Trace Play. The company will deliver subscribers urban music and content from the United States and worldwide, including 2,000 hours of on-demand programming, 30 digital radio stations, nine live television feeds, and the soon-to-be launched Trace Prime television network. The service will come from a Trace USA joint venture with John Pasmore, the former chief executive officer of Russell Simmons’Oneworld Media, who declares, “Trace is the only media company that has successfully connected urban youth and communities of color around the world while respecting their identities.” It will be available online and to iOS and Android devices for $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. Backers include actor-musician Wyclef Jean; producers Rob Marriott and Tonya Lewis Lee;Fubu co-founder J. Alexander Martin; and JKD Entertainment’s Karlie Lewis.

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KJR-AM, Seattle’s Rich Moore Upped to SVP of Programming for iHeartMedia Seattle. Programmer Rich Moore is promoted to senior vice president of programming for iHeartMedia’s Seattle station group. A 23-year iHeartMedia Seattle staffer, Moore has recently been serving as PD for sports talk KJR-AM “Seattle’s Sports Radio,” a position in which he will continue. He’ll also oversee signals including CHR sisters KBKS “Kiss FM” and KPWK “POWER-FM,” hip hop KUBE, alternative KFOO “ALT-FM,” classic hits KJR-FM “95.7 The Jet,” and sports talk KHHO “FOX Sports Radio.” Market president Kent Haehl says, “Rich has had a long and successful tenure at iHeartMedia Seattle. He is a brilliant, creative and innovative leader who understands how to create deep relationships with listeners and we look forward to tapping into those skills across all our Seattle brands.” At the same time, the company announces that Kevin Shockey is named to the assistant program director position for KJR-AM.

Mayhem at WABC, New York!?! In the still photo you see here, WABC, New York air personality Curtis Sliwa (right) threatens fellow host Sid Rosenberg (left) with a baseball bat in the news/talk station’s studio. In the video which you can see in full here, Sliwa is threatening Rosenberg for “stealing” producer Flipper, a.k.a. Jill Vitale, for his show and for subbing for him on what was supposed to be a “mental health” day off the air for Sliwa. Sliwa co-hosts the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm show with Ron Kuby and Rosenberg co-hosts the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon show with “Imus in the Morning” cast member Bernard McGuirk. Sources inside WABC tell TALKERS that the video is not contrived and that Sliwa was very upset about losing Flipper to the other show. TALKERS editors, however, remain suspicious about the spontaneity of the video given WABC’s presenting it (proudly, it seems) on its website. What, if anything, happens after this is unclear, however most employers discourage threatening fellow employees with baseball bats. Stay tuned…

The Presidential Race, Obama’s Cuba Trip, Battle Against ISIS, Syria Conflict-Russian Involvement, and Hulk Hogan Sex Tape Suit Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (3/21). The activities of the candidates for president; coverage of President Obama’s trip to Cuba and his meeting with Raul Castro; the ongoing battle against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria; the Syrian civil conflict and Russia’s military involvement; and the jury awards for Hulk Hogan in his suit against Gawker for releasing portions of his sex tape were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Michael Harrison Gets ‘Up Close and Far Out’ with Kurt Hanson. In this week’s installment of the PodcastOne international hit “Up Close and Far Out with Michael Harrison,” the TALKERS magazine publisher conducts a candid and informative conversation with online radio pioneer Kurt Hanson from the convention floor of the recently concluded Radiodays Europe in Paris, France. Hanson wears two feathers in his cap. He is the founder and CEO of the tremendously successful online radio music service, AccuRadio, that provides hundreds of thousands of music fans with a wide spectrum of music genres both old and new. He also is publisher and founding editor of RAIN Enterprises. RAIN provides the industry with two major services, the Radio and Internet Newsletter and its annual RAIN conference on the relationship between radio and the internet held in conjunction with the NAB Radio Show. According to Harrison, “Kurt Hanson is a visionary in the merging fields of radio and digital broadcasting as well as being a heck of an entrepreneur. He’s also a ‘Star Trek’ fanatic and I’m delighted to present our fascinating Paris conversation to the world’s ‘media freaks’ this week.” To listen to the podcast in its entirety please click here or click on the “Up Close and Far Out” player box located in the right-hand column of every page of Talkers.com and RadioInfo.com.

WBBM-AM, Chicago’s Felicia Middlebrooks and Lola Vanderpuye Among Gracie Award Winners at CBS RADIO. Winners of 2016 Gracie Awards include WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM, Chicago “Newsradio 780 & 105.9 FM” morning drive co-anchor Felicia Middlebrooks and WBBM coordinating producer Lola Vanderpuye. The Gracie Awards — from the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation — honor exemplary programming for, by and about women in all facets of media and entertainment, as well as individuals who have made contributions to the industry. Middlebrooks is being honored for anchor of a local news or news magazine program, and Vanderpuye is being recognized for local imaging for the Chicago Cubs. Other CBS RADIO staffers being honored include: Marla Diamond, WCBS, New York “Newsradio 880” for Local Reporter/Correspondent; Nina Hajian, WNEW-FM, New York “92.3 AMP Radio” for Local Host of Entertainment/Information; Jane Tillman Irving, WCBS, New York “Newsradio 880” for Local Hard News Feature; Amy Lawrence, CBS Sports Radio for National Host of a Sports Program; Loren Raye, WODS, Boston “103.3 AMP Radio”; Suzyn Waldman, WFAN, New York for Local Sports Program; and Shila Nathan for Afternoon Drive Personality-Local (while at WUSN, Chicago).

Cumulus Media Staffers Honored with Gracies. Here’s a rundown of the Cumulus Media employees who will be recognized for their work by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation with a 2016 Gracie Award: “NASH Nights Live” personality Elaina D. Smith for National Radio Special; Rita Cosby, WABC, New York for Talk Show, News-Local Radio, and Host, Non-News/Non-Fiction-Local Radio; and Joan Hamburg, WABC, New York for Soft News Feature-Local Radio.

Odds & Sods. The annual live political event “Charlie Sykes Insight 2016” – presented by E.W. Scripps’ WTMJ, Milwaukee and Sykes’ RightWisconsin.com – will include an appearance by GOP presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz tomorrow (3/23). During the program at Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee, Sykes and Senator Cruz will have an exclusive, one-on-one discussion…..Chicago news pro Andrea Darlas is being honored with the Diogenes Award for Excellence in Media from the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois at the organization’s 90th Anniversary Dinner Meeting on Thursday, March 24 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. BBB president and CEO Steve Bernas explains, “The Diogenes Award is presented to a media person who exemplifies the goals and principles of the Better Business Bureau to support and foster an ethical marketplace benefiting both consumers and businesses.” Darlas is currently the morning news anchor on Tribunes’s WGN Radio, a reporter on its WGN-TV and CLTV as well as a contributor to the nationally syndicated TV show, “House Smarts.”…..In Canada, Bell Media news/talk stations are now carrying the NPR-syndicated “TED Radio Hour.” The show, hosted by Guy Raz, currently airs in the U.S. on public radio outlets and is available as a podcast.

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Talk Radio Pro Rusty Humphries to Host ‘Trending Today USA’ to Launch in January. The new program comes from USA Radio Networks where CEO Floyd Brown has “tasked radio veteran Rusty Humphries with re-imagining the talk radio format.” The result is the new talk show “Trending Today USA” and will be hosted by Humphries beginning January 11. Humphries says, “This program will focus on what America is discussing, viewing and sharing in social media. Everything has been reimagined, from the network commercials, to the music, to the way the news is being presented –this will be talk radio for the social media mindset!” The company says the new show “will give affiliates programming that appeals to a multi-generational audience in the same way social media has done. It will provide advertisers and agencies with the audience they covet and make the show a commercial success.” Humphries adds, “Don’t get me wrong, there are some very talented people on the air today, but the industry needs some shaking up. Listeners have moved away from traditional platforms and are spending their time on social media. We’re producing a show which will not showcase my opinions, but will showcase the social news being devoured by Americans. I believe this show, and others like it, will restore talk programing to prominence. It will breathe life into a format aching for resuscitation. Americans are consuming news more than ever, but they are doing it on different platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. With that in mind, I have worked with a group of social media giants to craft a show that lowers the bellicose and increases the pacing and news. I am more proud of this program than anything I have done in radio to date.”

Report from the Nielsen Audio Client Conference. Radio consultant Holland Cooke is in Maryland at the Nielsen Audio Client Conference and he files this report with TALKERS. Some of the topics addressed at the conference include the growth of Black and Hispanic radio audiences, their loyal use of the medium and their importance to the future of radio; Washington urban radio icon Donnie Simpson’s thoughts about broadening programming; plus a granular look at a radio station’s audience and the importance of “Super Fans.” Read it all here.

iHeartMedia Names Sara McClure Sacramento Market President. The new market president for iHeartMedia’s Sacramento station group is Sara McClure, who takes over for John Geary, allowing him to return to his retirement. This is a promotion for McClure who was serving as SVP of sales for the cluster. She joined iHeartMedia in 2013 after 15 years with Entercom. She says, “I am thrilled to take this next step in my career. Becoming president of iHeartMedia Sacramento, which is my hometown, is very special. iHeartMedia is a company of opportunity where I can operate within a culture that is consistent with how I do business. I look forward to delivering results to our clients and fantastic products to our listeners, while creating an environment for our team that allows them to excel as part of a dynamic organization in a rapidly evolving industry.” iHeartMedia operates hip hop KHYL “V101.1,” news/talk KFBK, talk KSTE, adult hits KQJK “93.7 Jack FM,” and country KBEB “B 92.5.”

WGN, Chicago Names Steve Grzanich News Anchor. Veteran Chicago journalist and broadcaster Steve Grzanich joins the news staff at Tribune’s news/talk WGN, Chicago to anchor the daily 5:00 am to 6:00 am program, “The Opening Bell.” The station says the show will be a “fast-paced hour for investors, entrepreneurs, innovators and every Chicagoan who wants to better understand how their money moves around the planet and their workplace.” Vice president of programming and content Todd Manley states, “You will get much more than the numbers with Steve. You’ll get the plotlines and the characters that fuel the business world from one of our town’s greatest reporters.” In addition to anchoring “The Opening Bell,” Grzanich will be part of the Steve Cochran morning drive show working alongside news anchor Andrea Darlas. Grzanich spent 20 years with CBS RADIO’s crosstown all-news WBBM-AM and is a contributing reporter at Chicago-based Rivet Radio.

Hillsdale College Names Scot Bertram Station Manager for WRFH. The new radio station at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan has its general manager as the school hires Scot Bertram of WROK in Rockford, Illinois to assume the role next semester. Bertram is currently program director and morning host at the Townsquare Media-owned news/talk station. Bertram says, “The combination of Hillsdale and radio was immediately appealing. It fit like a glove — my interests, passions, and skills. I’m looking forward to working with the students, people who want to take part, want to learn more. The ability to speak extemporaneously and think on your feet, is a skill applicable to many professions.” Gold Bold Media Group founder and president Vince Benedetto, who donated the resources for Hillsdale’s radio station, says Bertram’s caliber is a tribute to Hillsdale’s reputation. “He has all the skill sets that are critical to getting the radio program off the ground for the college and doing something historic that they’re going to be working on.” In addition to his work with the station, Bertram will teach a broadcasting course as a journalism elective.

Sun Broadcast Group’s Jason Bailey Named Honorary Trustee for the Alliance for Women in Media. The Alliance for Women in Media and its Foundation announce Sun Broadcast Group CEO Jason Bailey is the newest Honorary Trustee. The Honorary Trustee program at AWM/F offers senior executives the opportunity to engage and influence the strategy of AWM/F and its support of women in media. The program highlights ways to work together that are exclusive to Honorary Trustees and not available at any other partnership level through the Alliance for Women in Media or the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. AWM/F chair and SVP of global content operations at Discovery CommunicationsKristen Welch states, “The Honorary Trustee program serves as an avenue for innovative, passionate media C-levels to get involved with advancing and supporting women in media. We are proud to add Jason Bailey to our Honorary Trustee program and look forward to seeing how his passion for innovation and radio are reflected in his contributions to the Alliance for Women in Media and its Foundation.”

Odds & Sods. Flint, Michigan news/talk WWCK “Supertalk 1570” fills the morning drive slot with market media pro Michael J. Thorp. He takes over for the retired Lou Lobsinger, effective Monday, December 7 at the Cumulus Media-owned station. Thorp worked for years in local television hosting the morning show on WJRT-TV…..Regine Schlesinger retires from CBS RADIO’s all-news WBBM/WCFS-FM, Chicago after a 42-year career there. She was most recently a reporter and anchor for the station…..Yahoo! Sports Radio will launch new shows on the network beginning in January. A new program with host Joe Spano will air in the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon slot; Matt Perrault moves from a fill-in role to hosting his own 10:00 pm to 1:00 am daily show; Lewis Woodward joins the network for a “vital role during weekends,” and the new “Nothing But Net” show hosted by former NBA guard Troy Hudson launches next Thursday (12/10) from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm…..Emmy Award-winning sports reporter and KNX, Los Angeles sports correspondent Randy Kerdoon launches a new weekly podcast on PodcastOne titled, “Talking About Cars.” PodcastOne chairman and CEO Norm Pattiz says, “Randy’s connections and knowledge of the auto industry is sure to be entertaining, and podcasts about cars are increasingly popular. He’s a radio pro right here in my hometown. It’s safe to say PodcastOne is populated with some serious car freaks, starting with Adam Carolla and including me, so we’re all hoping this hometown boy makes good.”…..One of talk radio’s favorite guests, Peter D. Kiernan, author of the best-selling Becoming China’s Bitch (Turner, 2012), has won two major independent book awards for his latest book, “American Mojo Lost and Found: Restoring Our Middle Class Before the World Blows By” (Turner, 2015). The prestigious 2015 Royal Dragonfly Book Award Contest recognized Kiernan in two categories: first place in the Business and Finance and Historical Non-Fiction categories.

Gifts, Gadgets, Gizmos and Hi-Tech Holiday Goodies. Noted media consultant Holland Cooke joins host Michael Harrison as this week’s guest on the PodcastOne international hit for media freaks, “Up Close and Far Out,” posted today (12/1). The two talk about the latest technological marvels that are the hot stocking stuffers this holiday season… and then some. They delve into the world of drones, driverless cars, and gadgets within the expanding “Internet of Things” that keep tabs on their owners — such as toothbrushes that inform your dentist about the health of your teeth, baby clothes that inform parents about the well-being of their sleeping child and refrigerators that order replacements when you are running out of milk. Harrison and Cooke cover a wide spectrum of items from low-tech 20th century devices such as the Slinky and yo-yos to the modern-day Apple Watch and the coming practice of embedding chips into the human body. They discuss the implications of this new unfolding era on privacy and other significant aspects of sociology. To hear the entire conversation please click here or click on the player boxes in the right-hand column of every page on Talkers.com and RadioInfo.com.

Syracuse Family ‘Wins’ Waffles with Wainwright. Last month, WSYR, Syracuse morning drive host Mark Wainwright urged listeners to invite him and the WSYR morning show into their home for a live broadcast and – waffles! Much to Wainwright’s surprise, numerous families competed to host the show on November 12. The “winning” family was John and Katie Femenella and their kids (Wainwright is pictured here at the mic with John Femenella at left). In addition to hosting the broadcast from their kitchen, Anthony Donofrio, executive chef of the Modern Malt, prepared breakfast for all. Wainwright says, “John and Katie and their kids were terrific. We could not have had a warmer or more enthusiastic reception. For much of the morning, it felt like the whole neighborhood showed up. When I compared notes with John later, we realized there might have been one or two crashers in the crowd. John thought they were Katie’s friends, and Katie thought they were John’s friends! Maybe they were relatives of the neighbors? Anyway, everybody was nice, and the Modern Malt folks were very impressed by the turnout. I really enjoy promotions where listeners are actively engaged, and this was a perfect example.”

San Bernardino Shootings/Gun Control, 2016 Presidential Race, Russia-Turkey Military Tensions, Battle Against IS, Syrian Refugee Controversy, and DiCaprio Bear Rape Flap Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (12/2). The mass shooting in San Bernardino, California that took the lives of 14, plus the related issue of gun control; the activities of the candidates for president in 2016; the military tensions between Turkey and Russia over the downing of a Russian fighter and allegations Turkey is buying oil from an IS-controlled region; the larger topic of the battle against Islamic State; the controversy over how to deal with refugees from the Syrian civil conflict; and the flap over a scene in the new Leonardo DiCaprio film in which some reviewers say DiCaprio’s character is raped by a bear were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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Why aren’t there more?

Continuing today (11/5), TALKERS presents a multi-part feature story about the status of female talk show hosts in the radio business that will run throughout this week.

Part 4: Where is it going?

NEW YORK – It was established in the first three installments of this article about the state of women on talk radio – particularly “news/talk” radio – that although there are many successful female practitioners of the art heard around the country, male hosts continue to outnumber females by a startling ratio of approximately seven-to-one. The question is why?

Another question: Where is it all going?

Would an increase in the number of women on news/talk radio change the “nature” of the medium?

And, of course, that leads to the bigger question, should talk radio be looking to expand its nature and target audiences by hiring more women?

Can the spoken word medium successfully expand into more of a variety of directions and attract new female-skewing audiences via an increase in females on the air? Is that a risky move?

What do women want to hear enough to make talk radio of any genre part of their daily habit and routine?

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NAB Show: Day Three. Today’s report from the NAB Show in Las Vegas courtesy of media consultant Holland Cooke delves into the world of Millennials and how they consume media – and therefore advertising – as well as their need to make everything “social.” But it’s not all about Millennials. Whether the attitudes of Boomers and Gen Xers are changing regarding how they prefer to be talked to (addressing talk radio programmers especially here) or not, HC notes Huffington Post founding editor Roy Sekoff believes “engagement” is paramount in reaching people effectively. Read Holland Cooke’s report from the NAB Show here.

BIA/Kelsey: Mobile Local Ad Revenue to Reach $4.5 Billion This Year. That figure would represent a $1.6 billion increase from last year’s $2.9 billion. The firm says that – largely driven by local marketing initiatives of national advertisers – locally targeted mobile ads will represent more than half of overall U.S. mobile ad spending by 2018. BIA/Kelsey senior analyst/vice president of content Michael Boland comments, “Advertiser demand will be driven by natural market forces to follow undervalued inventory. Mobile advertising’s appeal includes higher performance, clearer ROI, tangible conversions and a shorter purchase funnel. These qualities of mobile content and advertising present a rare alignment between typical mobile user intent and advertisers’ stated objectives.” In its annual U.S. “Local Media Forecast” (2013 – 2018), BIA/Kelsey predicts mobile local ad revenue will more than triple over the next five years, reaching $15.7 billion in 2018. It says total U.S. mobile ad spending will grow from $11.4 billion this year to $30.3 billion in 2018, and locally targeted mobile ads will represent 52% of overall mobile ad spending in this country. National-to-local mobile marketing will be the focus of the company’s “Leading in Local: The National Impact” conference next month (5/7 – 9) in Atlanta.

Stephen Colbert to Replace David Letterman on CBS. Wow, talk about a quick and surprising announcement regarding the late night superstar’s replacement! When David Letterman announced he would be retiring from the “CBS Late Show” next year, many figured it would be a long time before a permanent successor was named. But CBS tweeted that it will bring Stephen Colbert aboard to host the program when Letterman steps down. The company is promising an official press release later today (4/10). Early analysis of the move by industry watchers is largely positive with many agreeing this gives Colbert a perfect avenue to step out of his “Colbert Report” character and flex his other show biz muscles while CBS acquires a younger, more up-and-coming television personality. But it sure makes us curious how long this deal was in the works.

New Orleans Talk Show Host Charged with Theft, Forgery. The former longtime morning host at urban talk WBOK, New Orleans – Gerod Stevens (a.k.a. Gerald Neely) – has been charged with theft of more than $1,500 and forgery after authorities allege he cashed checks from advertisers intended for his employer – Bakewell Media of Louisiana. WDSU-TV, New Orleans reports the station and Stevens parted last year. Legal analyst John Fuller tells WDSU-TV Stevens has no prior record and the charges are not “that serious” in the “grand scheme of things,” but he acknowledges that the maximum for both crimes is 10 years.

Odds & Sods. Chicago radio journalist Andrea Darlas will speak at the convocation of the class of 2014 at her alma mater the University of Illinois. Andrea Darlas is a journalism grad of the school – class of 1994 – and at the commencement ceremony on May 17, she will be a featured speaker. Darlas is an award-winning news anchor and reporter for WGN, Chicago and WGN-TV. She is heard weekday mornings on the Steve Cochran show and is seen on WGN-TV as a weekend freelance reporter and contributor for “House Smarts” with Lou Manfredini…..SiriusXM announces the launch of “The Comedy Cellar Show,” a comedy talk show hosted by Noam Dworman, owner of the renowned Comedy Cellar, and comedian Dan Naturman. The program will debut with special guest Dave Attell and will feature top comedians as guests, engaging in uncensored roundtable discussions, as well as exclusive stand-up sets performed by the comedians that same night at the historic venue…..WestwoodOne is again the exclusive radio partner for Augusta National Golf Club’s Masters Tournament. WestwoodOne will provide radio stations nationwide with live hole-by-hole coverage as well as hourly updates throughout the rounds, beginning April 10 through April 13. Bob Papa and Charlie Rymer will anchor live coverage. The network’s Kevin Kugler is pictured here at right on the course — the part known as Amen Corner — during yesterday’s broadcast events.

India House Club Selected as New Home of Talkers New York 2014 — Industry event to relocate to National Historic Landmark. After a successful run of five years at New York City’s Concierge Conference Center, the editorial board of TALKERS magazine announces that the 17th annual installment of the talk radio industry’s longest-running and most important national convention – Talkers New York 2014 – will be held at the India House Club, located in the world famous India House. India House is the architectural and historic centerpiece of Hanover Square — the cultural hub of New York’s financial district in Lower Manhattan. It is situated at One Hanover Square. The opportunity to present the conference at the newly-selected venue is one that TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison says is, “too good to pass up.” Harrison states, “We deeply apologize for any inconvenience that our announcement of the former venue might have caused those who have already registered.” According to Harrison, “This event has been selling out several weeks in advance, year after year. The India House Club offers us the opportunity to open the conference to an extra hundred or so people without losing the intimacy that is one of its many attractions. This venue is elegant, comfortable, beautiful and slightly larger than the conference’s former site and yet it comes fully equipped with the state of the art technology that an event of this nature demands. It is also located in one of America’s most vibrant ‘neighborhoods’ and a piece of geography in the belly of the Wall Street beast symbolic of both the good and bad impacting the radio industry in the 21st century.” India House, constructed in the mid-19th century in the style of a Renaissance palazzo, has a long and distinguished heritage tied into the formation of lower Manhattan as well as the story of business and commerce in New York. It is registered as one of New York City’s historic sites and is an official National Historic Landmark. Talkers New York 2014, only open to professionals working in or closely associated with the communications industry, is still expected to be an early sellout. Registrations are $249 per person for all sessions, exhibits, receptions and food and only taken by phone with credit cards. Call 413-565-5413. More details about speakers and agenda will be announced in the coming days leading up to the event on Friday, June 20. For more information, click here.

Cowherd and Costner Talk “Draft Day” and More. Actor Kevin Costner (left) chats in the Times Square ESPN Radio studios with talk show host Colin Cowherd. Costner made the appearance to promote his new film “Draft Day” in which he plays rogue football GM Sonny Weaver who must do what he thinks is necessary to revive the moribund Cleveland Browns (that’s the true-to-life part of the film). During Costner’s visit with Cowherd, the two talk about the importance of playing sports throughout life – not just in youth – as well as Costner’s effective playing of sports characters in his past films.

Talking Immigration Reform in DC. At the annual “Hold Their Feet to the Fire” radio row being held in Washington, DC, some 50 talk show hosts from around the country have spent the last two days (4/9-10) at the Phoenix Park Hotel on Capitol Hill speaking with listeners, lawmakers, law enforcement, immigration experts, activists and members of the media about the issue of immigration reform. Pictured here is WINA, Charlottesville, Virginia talk show host Rob Schilling (right) interviewing Dan Stein (left), president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which is sponsoring the annual event.

PA School Stabbing Rampage, ObamaCare Criticism, 2016 Presidential Race, U.S.-China Relations, Hank Aaron GOP Comments, Lerner Prosecution Movement, and Al Sharpton Informant Controversy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (4/9). A stabbing rampage allegedly committed by 16-year-old Alex Hribal wounds 24 at a Pittsburgh-area high school; scrutiny of the rollout and effects of the Affordable Care Act and the White House’s criticism of doctors profiting off Medicare patients; speculation about the possible candidates in the 2016 presidential race; Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s combative conference with China’s defense chief ahead of President Obama’s coming visit to China; baseball legend Hank Aaron calls the Republican party the modern KKK; the move by GOP congressmen to prosecute former IRS official Lois Lerner; and the controversy over the story that Rev. Al Sharpton was a mob informant were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS.

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CBS Radio Makes Changes to Programming at Sports Talk KHTK, Sacramento. The big change here is the move of Don Geronimo from AM drive to middays – airing from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm and the return of Carmichael Dave to the station. Carmichael Dave – who exited the station in May of last year and was recently hosting an internet program – is being paired up with Keith Brooks for the new morning show that will debut on July 8. It appears the station will re-brand itself as “KHTK Sports 1140” from its current “CBS Sports Radio Sacramento.” The station also notes that “Jason Ross will rejoin the afternoon sports desk in the ‘KHTK Sports 1140’ update studios and continue to fill in for Grant Napear. Dave ‘Deuce’ Mason will continue to be an important part of Sports 1140 and local sports programming for KHTK.” Don Geronimo has been a successful personality on KHTK in the midday slot going back to the days of the old Westwood One-syndicated Don & Mike show.

Legal Snag Hits Salem’s Attempt to Bring Peter Boyles to KNUS, Denver. Longtime KHOW, Denver radio personality Peter Boyles – recently fired by Clear Channel after a physical altercation between Boyles and his producer Greg Hollenback – was supposed to resurface on Salem Communications’ crosstown news/talk KNUS on July 1. But it appears a legal complication – probably a non-compete in his contract with Clear Channel – is preventing that from happening for the time being. Local reports said Boyles may be hosting the morning show as early as Wednesday (7/3) but as of today the morning drive show is being hosted by regular KNUS fill-in host Jimmy Sengenberger.

Valuable Formula to Determine the Financial Value of Each Listener Measured by Arbitron. What if you knew how much an average listener as measured in your Arbitron ratings contributed in daily, monthly, or even annual revenue to your station? And what if you could use that data to help drive decisions in what promotions make sense for existing listeners and which marketing channels are best for new listeners? You can, and in a new article posted today (7/2), Chris Pendl, the brilliant creative director of Bonneville Seattle and TALKERS columnist, shows you how to do it. All it takes (ugh) is a little math. To read this valuable information, click here.

Steve Cochran Fills in for Jonathon Brandmeier on WGN, Chicago. As Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports, longtime WGN personality and former crosstown WIND host Steve Cochran (who exited WIND just last week) is sitting in for the vacationing Jonathon Brandmeier today (7/2) on the morning show – possibly adding fuel to the speculation that Cochran will return to WGN. But WGN president and general manager Jimmy de Castro is either being coy or truly is still considering the future of the station’s lineup when he tells Feder, “We haven’t even talked about an agreement because he’s just doing fill-ins. I know Cochran really well. I love him. I’d love to figure out if there’s a way to have him in WGN’s family. I don’t know. I’m doing research and looking at a lot of stuff. I want him to fill in on different dayparts — mornings, middays, afternoons — and hear what happens.” The two worked together at WLUP-FM and WLUP-AM (now sports WMVP) in the 1990s.

WGN, Chicago Officially Comments on Staff Changes.TALKERS reported the exit of WGN, Chicago late night talk host Turi Ryder last week as she addressed her departure from the station on her radio program – by the way a classy move for management to allow her to say “good-bye.” Now, WGN announces the evening sports show content and news staff changes confirming “the David Kaplan show will air from 7:00 pm to 12:00 midnight with a focus on the Chicago sports scene and national sports landscape. Listeners will hear a variety of sports topics discussed by Kaplan and various guests from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm, followed by an hour of sports talk from Mark Carman and Jordan Bernfield. Kaplan is a staple in the Chicago sports industry, having joined WGN Radio in 1995. He most recently held the position of afternoon drive sports reporter and host of various shows including, ‘WGN Sports Night’ and ‘Cubs Insider.’ Bernfield is the current host of ‘Cubs Weekly’ and Northwestern basketball and football broadcasts. Carman comes to WGN radio from Yahoo! Sports Radio, where he was previously the afternoon co-host since August of 2012.” The new schedule also includes a lineup shift for news anchors Andrea Darlas and Steve Bertrand. Darlas will anchor mornings and Bertrand returns to the afternoons/evenings. WGN president and general manager Jimmy deCastro states, “We’re making changes in an effort to give Chicagoans more of the things they want to hear. Thank you to our WGN Radio listeners, the most loyal and attentive family, for helping us navigate through this and stay tuned for the best of the old and new coming soon.”

Brian Kilmeade’s Fox News Radio Show to be Featured on his Fox News Channel TV Show. In what promises to be a creative and interesting piece of cross-platform promotion tomorrow morning between 6:00 am and 9:00 am (7/3), multimedia talk star Brian Kilmeade‘s midday Fox News Radio show “Kilmeade and Friends” will be featured in “realty show” style on Fox News Channel‘s“morning show “Fox and Friends” (in which Kilmeade is a co-host). The behind the scenes package will show Brian’s transition as he goes from TV to radio — the cameras followed him and stayed in the radio studio for the three hours where some of Brian’s regular “friends” stopped by and had a little fun with him.

NYMRAD Touts Positive New York Market Revenue Data. Based on numbers from Miller, Kaplan, Arase and Co., the trade group New York Market Radio is announcing spot revenue is up 7.6% for the first five months of 2013. NYMRAD executive director Deborah Beagan says, “It’s quite a story to see New York Radio Market revenues up by over 7% year-to-date through May, 2013…The key to New York Market Radio’s success is live-and-local content that engages the audience. For the 92% of New Yorkers who listen to radio, this is their hometown and their favorite stations. In addition, New York Market Radio stations have significantly invested in the digital arena to provide multi-platform options to advertisers. The future of effective advertising lies in the smart integration of traditional and digital media. I am extremely enthusiastic about the second half of 2013.”

WLS-AM, Chicago Brings Susan Carlson Aboard for PM News Duties. Chicago media writer Robert Feder reports that Cumulus Media’s news/talk WLS, Chicago is hiring former WBBM-TV “CBS 2” morning news anchor Susan Carlson to serve as news anchor for the afternoon drive show hosted by Roe Conn and Richard Roeper. She replaces Jim Johnson who recently retired from the station after 45 years. Carlson is no stranger to WLS having served as a news and traffic reporter from 1998 to 2002, also working with Roe Conn. Feder reports Carlson is under contract to WBBM-TV until July 18 and will join WLS-AM after that.

Sports Reporting: Dealing with Prickly Coaches. WFAN, New York sports talk host and TALKERS columnist Richard Neer offers advice to sports reporters and talk hosts who interview sports coaches as part of their jobs. Neer’s experience dealing with some of the top coaches leading New York sports teams has taught him a few lessons, especially about dealing with skippers who don’t enjoy post-game press conferences. Neer writes about the tactics of asking questions during post-game pressers and eliciting useful responses from reluctant managers. Read his piece here.

MEDIA BROKER SPOTLIGHT: Burt Sherwood of Burt Sherwood & Associates. In this week’s installment of Media Broker Spotlight, Sandi Bergman of RadioTVDeals.com interviews media broker Burt Sherwood of Burt Sherwood & Associates. Sherwood brings years of experience (he was one of the early WMCA Good Guys) to his brokerage firm optimistically stating, “Station sales should be strong, ethnic operators will grow, youth will be served by over-the-air stations which will have apps for their iPhones and iPads, and the audience will grow proportionately — I think better than 30%. You will be able to track listeners and TV viewers and get them to respond directly…broadcasting and the internet will be partners.” To read the entire installment of Media Broker Spotlight, click here.

Veteran Talk Show Host Mark Wainwright Dips Toe in On-Air Water After 16 Year Hiatus. He was one of the big players in talk radio back in the 1990s doing stellar airwork — perhaps most notably at WBAP, Dallas — before leaving the industry in 1997 to pursue other endeavors. Now Mark Wainwright is back, at least temporarily as a fill in, returning to WBAP this Friday, July 5 subbing in the 9:00 am to 11:00 am slot. He’ll also be heard doing fill-in during morning drive on WGY, Albany next Thursday and Friday (7/11-12) and morning drive on WSYR, Syracuse the week of August 12-16 and August 19 and 20. Welcome back to the game, Mark – we hope we get to hear even more of you in the coming days. For old friends looking to reconnect, Mark Wainwright can be emailed at thatvoice@verizon.net.

KMZQ, Las Vegas Re-Brands as ‘Fox Sports 670AM Las Vegas.’Kemp Communications’ sports talk KMZQ picks up Fox Sports Radio Network programming and re-brands as “Fox Sports 670AM Las Vegas.” The station is airing “Fox Sports Daybreak,” “Jay Mohr Sports,” “Fox Sports Primetime featuring Pat O’Brien with Steve Hartman,” “Petros & Money,” “Fox Sports Tonight,” J.T. The Brick and the network’s complete weekend lineup. It will continue to air TRN-FM’s “Mancow in the Morning” on the station from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. General manager Deirdre Palmer states, “We are very excited to add Fox Sports Radio programming to 670AM. We’re confident the Fox Sports brand, combined with the Network’s quality programming, will elevate KMZQ-AM to the next level in Las Vegas.”

Katherine Galanty Joins Yahoo! Sports Radio.Yahoo! Sports Radio has a new vice president of affiliate relations as Katherine Galanty joins the company. Galanty’s resume includes stints with Sports USA, ISP Sports, and Westwood One. Yahoo! Sports Radio program director and chief operating officer Craig Larson states, “Katherine brings a wealth of affiliate relations experience in sports talk radio. We expect her to play a critical role as we continue to emerge in the years ahead.”

NAB Spotlights Importance of ‘First Informers’ in Moore, Oklahoma Video. The National Association of Broadcasters, in an effort to highlight the importance of “first informers” in saving lives during natural disasters and weather emergencies, has posted a condensed version of a documentary by University of Oklahoma media arts professor Scott Hodgson and his students that features interviews and never-before-seen footage on broadcasters’ efforts before, during and after the storm. The video is on the blog post page by NAB vice president, communications, Ann Marie Cumming. See it here.

Arizona Firefighters Deaths, U.S. Spying Program/Edward Snowden Case, Egyptian Violence, Western Heat Wave, Student Loan Rate Hikes and ObamaCare Promotion Controversy Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (7/1). The deaths of 19 firefighters battling the Arizona wildfire; the ongoing issue of the United States’ spying program and the fate of Edward Snowden; the anarchy in Egypt as protests demand Mohamed Morsi’s ouster; the scorching heat affecting the Western United States; the debate over government-backed student loan rates; and promotion of ObamaCare by libraries in the U.S. were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday according to ongoing research from TALKERS.